Vancouver Downtown Historic Railway
Encyclopedia
The Vancouver Downtown Historic Railway is a heritage streetcar
line that operates between Granville Island
and the Cambie Station (north of 6th Ave just east of Ash Street) in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Canada
. It operates only on weekends and holidays, usually from May to mid-October, and is aimed primarily at tourists. Two restored interurban streetcar
s are used on the line, which used a former freight railway right-of-way.
The VDHR was not operated in 2010; its web site states an "anticipated reopening" on July 1, 2011.
The line is owned by the City of Vancouver. The cars are operated by volunteers from the Transit Museum Society
. The car shown (1207) is privately owned.
Service was inaugurated on July 29, 1998, and was considered to be a demonstration project for a modern downtown streetcar system that the city plans to develop. It has continued to operate almost every summer since then, as an excursion-oriented historic streetcar line.
When last fully operational, the line ran from Granville Island
to a stop near Science World
and Main Street-Science World SkyTrain station
. Since then, however, Olympic related construction has razed sections of the line east of the Olympic Village Canada Line Station. The proposal for a modern line would extend the former line through Chinatown and Gastown
to Waterfront Station
, and eventually to Stanley Park
. There would be a separate line into Yaletown
with longer term potential for a number of other lines.
) ran on the Downtown Historic Railway, using two modern Bombardier Flexity Outlook
streetcars borrowed from the Brussels tramway
. The City of Vancouver and the administrators of Granville Island paid $8.5 million for associated upgrades to the infrastructure.
The City considered the streetcar demonstration "a tremendous success", with over 550,000 boardings during the two months of the experiment. Bombardier received an award for "Exceptional Performance and Outstanding Achievement" at the 2010 CUTA awards, recognizing its operation of over 13,000 one-way trips with zero equipment failures, zero station delays and zero injuries. Mayor Robertson
has indicated a desire to continue operation of the line, with a potential extension to Main Street - Science World Station via False Creek South, but mentioned that the city alone lacks the millions needed to complete the construction and equipment purchases. Nonetheless, a streetcar along the alignment used by the Olympic Line was part of two of the proposals for rapid transit running east-west through the city of Vancouver in 2020.
The fleet also includes an ex-Brussels
La Brugeoise et Nivelles SA.
PCC streetcar
, painted red and cream.
The line's operator, the Transit Museum Society, also owns a large fleet of vintage bus
es and trolley coaches
.
Heritage streetcar
Heritage streetcars or heritage trams are a development of the heritage railways that are becoming popular across the world. As with modern streetcar systems, the vehicles are referred to as trams or tramcars in the United Kingdom, Australasia and certain other places , but as streetcars or...
line that operates between Granville Island
Granville Island
Granville Island is a peninsula and shopping district in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is located in False Creek directly across from Downtown Vancouver's peninsula, under the south end of the Granville Street Bridge....
and the Cambie Station (north of 6th Ave just east of Ash Street) in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It operates only on weekends and holidays, usually from May to mid-October, and is aimed primarily at tourists. Two restored interurban streetcar
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
s are used on the line, which used a former freight railway right-of-way.
The VDHR was not operated in 2010; its web site states an "anticipated reopening" on July 1, 2011.
The line is owned by the City of Vancouver. The cars are operated by volunteers from the Transit Museum Society
Transit Museum Society
The Transit Museum Society is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of old and decommissioned transit vehicles in Vancouver and the adjoining areas. Based out of Coast Mountain Bus Company's Surrey Transit Centre , TRAMS has a fleet of twelve operational vehicles, and at least six vehicles...
. The car shown (1207) is privately owned.
Service was inaugurated on July 29, 1998, and was considered to be a demonstration project for a modern downtown streetcar system that the city plans to develop. It has continued to operate almost every summer since then, as an excursion-oriented historic streetcar line.
When last fully operational, the line ran from Granville Island
Granville Island
Granville Island is a peninsula and shopping district in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is located in False Creek directly across from Downtown Vancouver's peninsula, under the south end of the Granville Street Bridge....
to a stop near Science World
Science World at TELUS World of Science
Science World at Telus World of Science, Vancouver is a science centre run by a not-for-profit organization in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
and Main Street-Science World SkyTrain station
Main Street-Science World Station
Main Street – Science World Station is an elevated station on the Expo Line of the SkyTrain system in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
. Since then, however, Olympic related construction has razed sections of the line east of the Olympic Village Canada Line Station. The proposal for a modern line would extend the former line through Chinatown and Gastown
Gastown
Gastown is a national historic site in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the northeast end of Downtown adjacent to the Downtown Eastside. Its historical boundaries were the waterfront , Columbia Street, Hastings Street, and Cambie Street, which were the borders of the 1870 townsite survey, the proper...
to Waterfront Station
Waterfront Station (Vancouver)
Waterfront Station is a major intermodal public transportation facility and the main transit terminus in Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.-Location:...
, and eventually to Stanley Park
Stanley Park
Stanley Park is a 404.9 hectare urban park bordering downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was opened in 1888 by David Oppenheimer in the name of Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor-General of Canada....
. There would be a separate line into Yaletown
Yaletown
Yaletown is an area of Downtown Vancouver approximately bordered by False Creek, Robson, and Homer Streets. Formerly a heavy industrial area dominated by warehouses and rail yards, since the Expo 86, it has been transformed into one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods in the city...
with longer term potential for a number of other lines.
Vancouver 2010 Olympic Line
From January 21 to March 21, 2010, a free demonstration service called the "Olympic Line" (named for the 2010 Winter Olympics2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
) ran on the Downtown Historic Railway, using two modern Bombardier Flexity Outlook
Flexity Outlook
The Flexity Outlook is a family of 100% low-floor articulated light-rail trams manufactured by Bombardier Transportation. Part of the larger Flexity product line , Flexity Outlook cars fall into two distinct sub-categories with dramatically different appearances...
streetcars borrowed from the Brussels tramway
Brussels trams
The Brussels tram system is one of the ten largest in the world, carrying some 75.6 million passengers in 2009. Its development demonstrates many of the quandaries that face local public transport planners...
. The City of Vancouver and the administrators of Granville Island paid $8.5 million for associated upgrades to the infrastructure.
The City considered the streetcar demonstration "a tremendous success", with over 550,000 boardings during the two months of the experiment. Bombardier received an award for "Exceptional Performance and Outstanding Achievement" at the 2010 CUTA awards, recognizing its operation of over 13,000 one-way trips with zero equipment failures, zero station delays and zero injuries. Mayor Robertson
Gregor Robertson (politician)
Gregor Angus Bethune Robertson is a Canadian politician who has been the 39th Mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia, since 2008. He was elected as part of the Vision Vancouver party slate...
has indicated a desire to continue operation of the line, with a potential extension to Main Street - Science World Station via False Creek South, but mentioned that the city alone lacks the millions needed to complete the construction and equipment purchases. Nonetheless, a streetcar along the alignment used by the Olympic Line was part of two of the proposals for rapid transit running east-west through the city of Vancouver in 2020.
Fleet of railcars
| Make/Model | Description | Fleet size | Year built | Year retired | Notes |
| built in New Westminster, British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... |
Interurban car | 3 - only 1207 remains | 1905 | 1958 | ex-British Columbia Electric Railway British Columbia Electric Railway The British Columbia Electric Railway was a historic Canadian railway which operated in southwestern British Columbia.Originally the parent company, and later a division, of BC Electric, the BCER operated public transportation in southwestern British Columbia from its establishment in the... |
| St. Louis Car Company St. Louis Car Company The St. Louis Car Company was a major United States manufacturer of railroad passenger cars, streetcars, trolleybuses and locomotives that existed from 1887–1973, based in St. Louis, Missouri.-History:... |
Tram | 1 - 1231 | 1912 | 1959 | ex-British Columbia Electric Railway British Columbia Electric Railway The British Columbia Electric Railway was a historic Canadian railway which operated in southwestern British Columbia.Originally the parent company, and later a division, of BC Electric, the BCER operated public transportation in southwestern British Columbia from its establishment in the... |
The fleet also includes an ex-Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
La Brugeoise et Nivelles SA.
La Brugeoise et Nivelles SA.
La Brugeoise et Nivelles SA , later BN Constructions Ferroviaries et Métalliques was a Belgian manufacturer of railway locomotives and other rolling stock; it was formed by a merger of two companies La Brugeoise et Nicaise et Delcuve and Les Ateliers Métallurgiques de Nivelles.The Bruges factory...
PCC streetcar
PCC streetcar
The PCC streetcar design was first built in the United States in the 1930s. The design proved successful in its native country, and after World War II was licensed for use elsewhere in the world...
, painted red and cream.
The line's operator, the Transit Museum Society, also owns a large fleet of vintage bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es and trolley coaches
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
.
See also
- List of heritage railways in Canada
- List of museums in Canada
- TransLink (British Columbia)